Marcel Schröder, Economist, Economic Research and Regional Cooperation Department Asian Development Bank At the beginning of the conflict, the crude oil price breached $130 per barrel in March, the highest since 2008. Since then, it retreated to about $100 in April, before rising again to $120 following the European Union’s partial ban on Russian oil in May. Some worry that the oil price could spike to $200 per barrel in the coming months and how such a shock would impact the economic prospects of Asia’s developing countries. While many institutions, including ours, project a significantly higher oil price in 2022 compared with 2021, these predictions do not foresee $200 per barrel because they attach a low probability of a sudden shock to the global oil supply. A sudden shock is unlikely given the EU’s decision to gradually phase out Russian oil imports by the end of 2022, allowing an orderly transition to alternative supplies and keeping prices stable and affordable for … [Read more...] about Additional oil spike impacts cannot be ruled out
Partial zero emissions vehicle list
Vietnam to issue ID cards for non-Vietnamese nationals
Foreign nationals living in Vietnam will be granted an electronic identification account to perform public administrative procedures. The Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security (MPS) is considering issuing identification (ID) cards for long-term foreign residents. Accordingly, people of Vietnamese origin who were born in Vietnam or abroad but have returned to Vietnam and lived permanently for more than five years will be eligible to receive ID cards. Currently, citizens in Vietnam have to carry too many paper documents such as citizen identification card, health insurance card, social insurance book, birth certificate, driver's license, student identification card, social insurance card, among others. Identity card with barcode is currently the most modern form in Vietnam. Photo: The Hanoi Times The fact that there are too many different types of papers issued by competent authorities causes numerous inconveniences for citizens in storing … [Read more...] about Vietnam to issue ID cards for non-Vietnamese nationals
Vietnam’s Engineering Company Rotation 1 begins missions in Abyei
The Engineering Company Rotation 1 has set two road rescue and maintenance teams to ensure traffic flows and conduct road rescue and maintenance missions. In addition, the unit has also deployed forces to continue building a repair and maintenance station for vehicles and equipment that the first group of the company received in May this year. The construction is expected to be completed and put into operation in June. Apart from their main task, the Engineering Company Rotation 1 has quickly arranged and stabilized its barracks in Highway, three kilometers from the headquarters of UNISFA. The Highway barracks is the former garrison area of a infantry battalion of Ethiopia. It was built nearly 10 years ago and is degrading gradually. In order to soon ensure accommodations for all members, the unit has quickly repaired and reinforced the main garrison area. After surveying the scenario, the chain-of-command of the company built a concrete plan to repair barracks, fix roofs, pave … [Read more...] about Vietnam’s Engineering Company Rotation 1 begins missions in Abyei
EU supporting comprehensive implementation of the EVFTA
Peter Bernhardt, team leader of the ARISE+ Vietnam project Since coming into force in August 2021, the EU - Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) has become an effective tool for boosting trade ties between the EU and Vietnam. What should Vietnam pay attention to in order to benefit more from this deal? I agree that the overall picture of EVFTA performance in this starting period, where exporters and government authorities from both sides have to adapt to the new situation, looks definitely promising. The EVFTA is the most ambitious FTA that the EU has ever signed with a developing country. The deal will mutually lift about 99 per cent of the tariffs within 10 years. Duty was lifted from 65 per cent of EU exports to Vietnam and 71 per cent of Vietnamese exports to the EU, immediately after the EVFTA came into effect. As most Vietnamese exporting products are consumer products, the real challenge Vietnam exporters will face to comply with EU consumer protection regulations is … [Read more...] about EU supporting comprehensive implementation of the EVFTA
Automatic toll collection set for all expressways in Vietnam by end of July
An ETC station on the Hanoi-Hai Phong Expressway. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - The Ministry of Transport has asked the Directorate for Roads of Vietnam (DRVN), the Vietnam Expressway Corporation (VEC), the Vietnam Infrastructure Development and Finance Investment Joint Stock Company (VIDIFI), and other service providers to realise the Prime Minister's request on completing automatic non-stop toll collection (ETC). The ministry requested VEC to direct service providers and related units to urgently install and operate the ETC system on highways by July 31. In case of delay, the ministry will handle it according to its competence or report it to authorities for strict handling in accordance with the law, including the suspension of toll collection. The ministry asked DRVN to direct and coordinate with VEC in deploying the ETC system on highways managed by VEC, ensuring the schedule and smooth operation. Meanwhile, VIDIFI was asked to continue piloting the ETC on the … [Read more...] about Automatic toll collection set for all expressways in Vietnam by end of July
☀️ Morning digest on June 27
Hanoi, (VNA) - The following is a list of selected news summaries last weekend by Vietnam News Agency. -National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue and a high-level delegation of the Vietnamese legislature arrived at Liszt Ferenc airport in Budapest, the capital of Hungary, in the afternoon June 25 (local time), beginning an official visit at the invitation of the Speaker of the National Assembly of Hungary, László Kövér. Read full story The NA Chairman then visited Albertirsa city, where he was welcomed by Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian parliament István Jakab and city officials. At Hue’s meeting with the deputy speaker of the Hungarian parliament, the two parliament leaders agreed that the two sides should focus on cooperation in agriculture, especially when Hungary has strengths in supply chains from cultivation, processing to marketing and distribution. Read full story -National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue will lead a high-ranking delegation of the National … [Read more...] about ☀️ Morning digest on June 27
Passengers allowed to carry folding bicycles on Hanoi’s first metro line
The management of Hanoi’s first metro line has allowed folding bicycles on the trains in order to provide commuters with more convenient and easier access to the public transport system. Travelers are now permitted to bring their folding bikes on board the trains of the Cat Linh-Ha Dong metro line, Vu Hong Truong, general director of Hanoi Metro Company, operator of the system, said on Sunday. Cat Linh-Ha Dong is the first-ever metro line to be put into operation in Vietnam, Truong continued, adding that several improvements still need to be made during the operation of the system. Being the only metro route in Hanoi now, it has yet to be connected with other forms of public transportation, thus allowing folding bikes on the trains will provide commuters with easier access to the metro line. Folding bikes are usually compact and light and will not take up too much space, Truong elaborated. However, the operator will deny service to passengers if their vehicles are too big … [Read more...] about Passengers allowed to carry folding bicycles on Hanoi’s first metro line